[pikke]

January 9, 1940 Grid AN15

1512 U48 is now diving after having spotted a cargo ship almost straight ahead...we are changing course to south to get closer to her projected course

1517 Target is a Granville freighter, cruising SW at 8 knots...we are going to use a single torpedo...should be enough to send her down.

1523 we are in a very good position right now...she is about 500m away...aiming at her bow...fire!...torpedo running...Impact!...a bit more amid ship then intended...no visible fire...let's lower our periscope and shadow her...

1546 She has slowed down to 4 knots and has an heavy nose...

1654 Granville is now barely crawling at one knot, nose is often submerged and she is smoking now...possibly an internal fire is going on...let's be patient

1812 she is dead on the water, waves are washing her forward deck and smoking but still refuses to sink...getting ready to launch one more torpedo...wait...she is sinking! At last! It's been 3 hours...changing course to NE and resuming our trip back home.
SS Imperial Valley (Granville-type Freighter), 4709 tons. Cargo: Copper Ore. Crew: 74. Crew lost: 48

2022 Sound contact! Merchant moving slow and closing somewhere NE of us...let's surface for a quick dash...changing course to north...

2046 Down to periscope depth and sound contact is now east of us and much closer...let's wait a couple of minutes and see if we can spot her...raise attack periscope!

2049 there she is! Looks like it's coming straight to us...let's identify her and check how fast she is going

2057 Target is going 9 knots and seems to be another Granville...let's go back slow for a while to increase the gap a bit...

2109 she is about 600m out and we are ready to attack...wind picked up suddenly and aiming is not easy due to the waves...opening tube 2...let's go for the bow mast...fire!...it won't be long...a dud!...open tube 3!..fire!...Searchlight! she is zigzagging now but should not matter....Impact!...got her astern...huge fire going on!...lowering scope and shadowing...hopefully it will be enough...I hate duds...

2116 Secondary explosion on the Granville!...she has slowed down to 2 knots and is very low on her back now...

2126 Here goes the fireworks! This Granville is being dismantled by the explosions! Nice! Let's surface and run away from here.
SS Sheaf Crown (Granville-type Freighter), 4710 tons. Cargo: Aircraft. Crew: 54. Crew lost: 19